Circuit-controller for portable electric lights.



G. F. HITZELBERGER.

CIRCUIT CONTRCLLER FOR PORTABLE ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

APPLICATION mm mus, mm.

1 205,629. Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 472 m WW ,m

l/ ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE FREDERICK HITZELBERGER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR LO NATIONALCARBON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application filed January 6, 1915. Serial No. 742.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUsTAvE FREDERICKHITZELBERGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at London,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCircuit-Controllers for Portable Electric Lights, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to circuit controllers more particularly adaptedfor use upon portable electric lights of the different types.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved construction ofcircuit controller in which first, the open circuit con dition ismaintained and assured for any desired length of time, or, second,manual actuation to and automatic return from circuit closing positionto provide for short periods of illumination, or, three, the assuredmaintenance of the closed circuit condition for any desired length oftime to provide for long periods of illumination.

Other objects of my invention are simplicity of construction,inexpensiveness of manufacture, durability, certainty of operation andof maintenance in operable condition.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

My invention includes an improved circuit closer providing for manualactuation to and automatic return from a circuit closing position, andalso providing for assuring the maintenance of the open circuit or theclosed circuit condition until the circuit closer is shifted away fromsuch positions.

In this connection my invention more particularly includes a pivotedcircuit closing lever having one or more resilient lever arms andfurther includes means for looking the lever at its difi'erent pivotalcircuit controlling positions.

My invention further includes features or construction and combinationsof parts as will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe the circuit controller illustrated in theaccompanying drawings embodying my invention and shall thereafter pointout my invention in the claims.

Figure l, is a perspective view of the circuit controller of myinvention as applied to one form of portable electric lamp. Fig; 2, is adiagram of the lamp circuit and circuit controller connected therein.Fig. 3, is an elevation illustrating the application of the circuitcontroller of a port-- able electric light of the tubular type.

Like reference letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The casing of the lamp is represented at- A, in Fig. 1, and the circuitcontroller forming the subject of this invention is conveniently mountedupon the top of such casing. The circuit-closing lever comprises a stripof flexible metal pivoted near the mid-point of its length at B so as tobe capable of rotation on the top of the casing A, and providing longerand shorter lever arms B and B A series of studs C C C are disposedalong the circumference of a circle whose center is at the pivot B atsuch a distance that the shorter arm B of the lever sweeps over them.This arm is formed with a recess B near the end and is resilient so thatwhen it lies over one of the studs C C C they enter the recess and lockthe lever in that position. Underneath the other end of the lever thereis provided a fourth contact stud C so that contact may be made with iton pressing the lever down. The lever is formed with an upward bend at Bso that the end normally clears the stud C. A press-button D is providedon the end of the lever and constitutes a convenient means for effectingthis operation. The stud C is preferably so disposed that the arm B liesover it vhen the end B of the arm B is looked upon the middle stud C ofthe three studs at the other end of the lever.

The electrical connections for the circuit controller are showndiagrammatically in Fig. 2. The battery M is connected to the pivotpoint B of the lever and to one terminal of the lamp L. The otherterminal of the lamp L is connected to the contact studs C and C thelever-holding studs C and C having no electrical connection with thecircuit, as clearly appears in Fig. 2. With the circuit-closing lever inthe position shown in Fig. 1 and inthe diagram in Fig. 2, the circuit isopen but it can be closed by depressing the button D and making contactwith the stud Ci. The arm B is resilient and when released rises oiithis contact stud so that this circuit controller is suitable for shortperiods of illumination or flashing as, for instance, in signaling. If

the lever be turned on its pivot 13 from the stud C to the stud C thecircuit is again completed and a steady light is obtained, since the end1& of the lever and the stud C are in looking engagement. By moving thelever to the other side, onto the stud C the circuit is opened and thelever locked in that position so that accidental depression of thebutton D does not affect the circuit. This circuit controller,therefore, provides for three positions in one of which steady lightingis obtained, in the second, the device is adapted for flashing and inthe third, the circuit is maintained open. Abutment studs E for thelever arm B are shown as provided on the top of the box or casing A forstopping the circuit-closing lever with the end of the lever arm 13 inengagement with the lever-holding contact member C Or the lever-holdingstud C as the case may be.

In Fig. 3 the circuit controller is shown applied to a tubular electriclight. The arrangement is slightly different, since the studs have to bedisposed on a curved surface. The circuit-closing lever is pivoted at Bso that the arm 13 is somewhat shorter than the other arm B. Thelever-holding stud C and the contact stud C are arranged in a. straightline along the length of the tubular casing. The combined lever-holdingand contact-makingstud C for giving a steady light is arranged to oneside of the stud C andis made to stand up farther from the tubularcasing of the light so that it is high enough to engage the arm B of thelever. The off or open position is obtained by swinging the lever on itspivot B through a half turn or one hundred and eighty degrees from theflashing or temporary lighting position so that the shorter arm B liesin the direction of the stud C, but it is not of sufiicient length tomake contact with it. The longer arm B of the lever then lies over thestud C but since that is not connected to the electrical circuit it isimmaterial whether the arm B be depressed or not. The stud C for lockingthe lever' in the oil position is provided, as shown, between the pivotstud B and the contact stud C the electrically unconnected leverholdingstuds C and C being arranged diametrally relative to 'the pivot stud BIt will be seen that with this arrangement the circuit-closing leverlies parallel with the length of the tubular casing in both the flashingand oil positions, and this is of particular advantage since it is onlywhen the lever is in the flashing position that frequent manipulation isrequired, and the lever is in the oif position all the time the lightisout of use; and in the latter case the circuit-closing lever is lesslikely to be interfered with or accidentally moved to the on or closedcircuit position if it lies along the length of the casing than if it isinclined thereto. This invention can 0bviously be applied to other smallelectric light apparatus.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in theconstructions shown in the drawings and above particularly describedwithin the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising aresilient pivoted circuit-closing lever yieldable in a plane coincidentwith its pivotal axis, a stationary contact-making stud projecting intothe rotational path of the lever for closing the circuit through thelever, the lever and the stud having interengaging surfaces foryieldingly holding the lever in contact-making engagement with the stud,another stationary contact member out of the rotational path of thelever in another rotative position of the lever so that the resilientlever may be manually, depressed to close the circuit through the lattercontact member and automatic opening 'of the circuit may be effected byreason of the resiliency of the lever, and means for yieldingly holdingthe lever at the rotational position for such manual circuit-closingactuation.

2. A circuit controller for a portable elec tric light comprising apivotedcircuit-closing lever having two resilient arms each yieldable ina plane coincident with the pivotal axis of the lever, a lever-holdingand contact-making stud projecting into the rotational path of one ofthe resilient lever arms and engageable therewith for yieldingly holdingthe lever at the corresponding rotative position with the circuit closedtln-ouglrthelever and such stud, and another stationary contact memberin register with but out of the rotational path of the other resilientlever arm in another rotative position of the lever and providing forthe manual depressionof the lever arm to close the circuit and theautomatic return of such lever arm to open the circuit, and means foryieldingly holding the lever at the rotational position'for such manualcircuitclosin g actuation.

A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising aresilient pivoted circuit-closing lever yieldable in a plane coincidentwith its pivotal axis, two studs projecting into the rotational path ofthe lever at different. places in such path, the lever and the studshaving interengaging surfaces for yieldingly holding the lever inengagement with each stud, one of these studs forming also a stationarycontact member by which the circuit is closed through the lever, and theother stud having no circuit connections, and another stationary contactmember out f t e rotational path of the 1 access lever in its rotativeposition Corresponding to the unconnected lever-holding stud so that theresilient lever may be manually depressed to close the circuit throughthe latter contact member and automatic opening of the circuit may beeflected by reason of the resiliency of the lever.

4. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising apivoted circuit-closing lever having two resilient arms yieldable in aplane coincident with the pivotal axis of the lever, twolever-holdingstuds projecting into the rotational path of one of theresilient lever arms and engageable therewith to yieldingly hold thelever at the corresponding rotative position, one of these studs formingalso a stationary contact member by which the circuit is closed throughthe lever, the other lever-holding stud having no circuit connections,"and another stationary contact member" in register with but out of therotational path of the other resilient lever arm in a rotative positionor" the lever in Which the lever is engaged by the unconnectedlever-holding stud, providing for the manual depression of the lever armto close the circuit and the automatic return of such lever arm to openthe circuit. 1

5. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising aresilient circuit-closing lever yieldable in a plane coincident with itspivotal axis, three studs projecting into the rotational path of thelever diilerent places in such pat the lever and the studs havinginterengaging surfaces for yieldingly holding the lever in engagementwith each stud, one of these studs forming also a stationary contactmember by which the circuit is closed through the lever, and the othertwo studs having no circuit connections, and another stationary contactmember out or the rotational path of the lever in one of its rotativepositions corresponding to one of the unconnected leverholding studs sothat the resilient lever may be manually depressed to close the circuitthrough the latter contact member and auto matic opening of the circuitmay be efi'ected by. reason of the resiliency of the lever.

circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising a pivotedcircuit-closing lever having two resilient arms yieldable in a planecoincident with the pivotal axis of the lever, three lever-holding studsprojet-ting into the rotational path of one or" the resilient lever armsand engageable therewith to yieldingly hold the lever, at thecorresponding rotative positions, one of these studs forming also astationary contact member by which the circuit is closed through thelever, the other two lever-holding studs having no circuit connections,and another stationary contact member in registor with but out oftherotational path of the other resilient lever arm in a rotativeposition of the lever in which the lever is engaged by one of theunconnected leverholding studs, providing for the manual depression ofthe lever arm to close the circuit and the automatic return of suchlever arm to open the circuit.

7. A circuit controller for a portable electric light comprising apivoted circuit-closing lever having oppositely projecting resilientarms yieldable axially of the pivot, one of these arms being longerthanthe other, three lever-holding studs projecting into the rotational pathof the'shorter arm and engageable therewith to yieldingly hold the leverat the corresponding rotative positions, one of these studs forming alsoa stationary contact member by which the circuit is closed through thelever, the other lever-holding studs having no circuit connections, andanother stationary contact member located radially outward beyond therotational path of the shorter lever arm and in cooperative relationwith but out of the path of the longer lever arm in a rotative positionof the lever in which the shorter arm of the lever is engaged by one ofthe unconnected lever-holding studs so as to provide for the manualdepression of the longer lever arm to close the circuit and theautomatic return or" such lever arm to open the circuit.

8. A circuit-controller for a portable electric light comprising apivoted. circuit-closing lever having oppositely projecting lever armsof which one is a longer operating arm and the other a shorterlever-holding arm, diametrally arranged lever-holding studs engageableWith the shorter lever arm to hold the lever at half-turn rotativepositions, and a contact member substantially in alinement with thediametrally arranged lever-holding studs and spacedoutward beyond thereach of the shorter lever arm but Within the reach and out or thedirect rotational path of the end of the longer lever arm, thecontactmaking end of said longer lever arm being resiliently carried toprovide for its depression to contactinaking engagement With said lastcontact member to close the circuit and its automatic return movementto-open the circuit.

9. A circuit-controller for a portable elec tric light comprising apivoted circuit-clos inglever having oppositely projecting lever 1 armsof which one is a longer operating arm and the other a shorterlever-holding arm. diametrally arranged lever-holding studs engageablewith the shorter lever arm to hold the lever at half-turn rotativepositions, both of these lever-holding studs being out of electricalconnection with the electrical circuit, a combined lever-holding studand contact member circumferentially spaced from the other saidlever-holding studs and engageable with the shorter lever arm forholding the lever and maintaining the closed cir uit condition, andanother contact member substantially in alinement with the diametrallyarranged lever-holding studs and spaced outward beyond the reach of theshorter lever arm but within the reach and out of the direct rotationalpath of the end of the longer lever arm, the contact-making end of saidlonger lever arm being resiliently carried to provide for its depressionto contact-making engagement with said last contact member to close thecircuit and its automatic return movement to open the circuit.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

GUSTAVE FREDERICK HITZELBERGER.

Witnesses:

HARRY C. LEWIs, FRANCES A. REICHENBERG.

